CAMEL Monthly Land Emissivity Coefficients at 0.05 Degree Resolution

Monthly global Principal Components Analysis (PCA) coefficients for land surface emissivity at a 0.05 degree (~5 kilometer) resolution. This NASA MEaSUREs dataset, derived from Combined ASTER and MODIS Emissivity for Land (CAMEL) data, includes variables for PCA coefficients, laboratory version, snow fraction, and quality flags. The dataset version referenced (CAM5K30CF.001) was decommissioned in March 2019, with users directed to an updated version.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal changes in land surface emissivity using monthly PCA coefficients.
• Modeling snow cover fraction dynamics with the MOD10-derived snow fraction variable.
• Validating high spectral resolution (HSR) algorithms using the provided input coefficients.
• Assessing data quality for emissivity studies using the included CAMEL quality information.
• Correlating emissivity coefficients with geographic location using the latitude and longitude data.

Strengths

• Provides a consistent, monthly global time series at 0.05 degree spatial resolution.
• Derived from a NASA MEaSUREs project, indicating a focus on creating long-term, research-quality data records.
• Includes quality assessment information alongside the core PCA coefficient data.

Limitations

• The specific dataset version (CAM5K30CF.001) is deprecated and no longer maintained, directing users to a newer version.
• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and exact temporal coverage are not provided in the available sources.
• Sources conflict on the last update date, with one listing 2026-03-13 and another 2017-01-02, indicating potential metadata errors.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) MEaSUREs program.

Collection Method

Generated using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) on combined ASTER and MODIS emissivity data, with snow fraction derived from MODIS Snow Cover (MOD10).

Time Range

Monthly coverage, but specific start and end years are not stated.

Freshness

The dataset version is deprecated; the most recent platform metadata update was listed as 2026-03-13, but this may be an administrative artifact.

Geography

Global land coverage.